By Okey Maduforo Awka
The Federal government has reopened the first Niger bridge closed down for maintainance 38 years after .
Recall that the bridge was closed down following the vandalization of materials used for the construction of the bridge by suspected hoodlums.
The closure, initially scheduled to end on September 21, was extended indefinitely due to persistent rainfall and other unforeseen circumstances which caused delay.
Speaking during the commissioning, the Minister for Works Chief Dave the Umahi urged the people of the South East and South South regions to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by voting for his reelection come 2027 general election.
He said the first Niger bridge intervention and other road infrastructures across the South East and South South is a testament that President Tinubu has fully integrated the regions into his renewed hope agenda.
He noted that the road has been total repaired and equip with CCTV to monitor vandals and other criminal elements around the bridge.
According to him, what we have just witnessed here today, is an evidence that the highly commitment to transformed the socio-economic well-being of the Igbo region.
“What Tinubu has done in less than four years of his administration, no President have done that since the return of Democracy in Nigeria in 1999.
“I am appealing to the people of the South East region, irrespective of political differences to vote President Tinubu to enable complete his developmental projects in the zones.
“We should keep sentiment away from politics and support a man who has been so committed to the development of our religion, including appointment of our people into various position of authority across sectors of the country’s economy.
“With the just concluded maintenance work on this first niger bridge and other numerous ongoing projects in our region, I strongly believe that Mr President would win total votes of the South East zone.
Umahi commended motorists and the people of Anambra/Delta states for their patient and corporation during the period of the maintance work.
He equally appeal to the people especially, motorists to develop maintenance culture to enable the bridge last beyond expectation.
Umahi said the necessary infrastructure has been fixed to ensure free flow of traffic, adding that the rehabilitation works carried out were aimed at easing traffic and ensuring the safety of road users.
He said, “We have every reason to thank the governors of Anambra and Delta states.
“We must commend the contractors, SKCC, very, very highly; they have worked very well. We are not 100 per cent done because we are going to do. The evidence of what we are doing today is a total testimony that President Bola Tinubu is indeed detribalized Nigeria.
“What other regions are getting, the people of South-South and South-East are getting it. And so why should we not appreciate the President? If the President, God forbid, were not the President in 2027, do you think that any of these people, marauding will have the capacity, the audacity, the courage, the wisdom, the pedigree to do this?”
”For how many years, we had Enugu-Onitsha Road, nobody could pass it. Why was there no governor that intervened.
“We have no regret supporting President Bola Tinubu. Let me declare in opening this bridge that I have no regret supporting Mr President.
“I am very, very proud for him to be my boss. He is the most qualified and eminently qualified to lead this country.
“And so, by the power of Mr. President and in our deep appreciation of what he has done for the people of South-South and South-East in this bridge, it is my humble pleasure, and with gratitude to God Almighty, to open this bridge for the benefit of our people, in Jesus name.”he said.
